Red Sox Pulled Off Unprecedented Feat In Heart-Stopping Win Over Yankees

Maybe don't make it this terrifying next time?

Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) reacts after defeating the New York Yankees in game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

For the Boston Red Sox, the stress was worth the payoff at the end of Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.

Boston defeated the arch-rival New York Yankees with three late runs for a 3-1 victory. That victory felt all but assured, however, after three batters in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger all singled, which left the Red Sox clinging to their lead with the tying run on second, the winning run on first, and nobody out. But closer Aroldis Chapman was equal to the moment.

Yankees make dubious history, Red Sox benefit

Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) reacts after flying out with the bases loaded during the ninth inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Chapman struck out Giancarlo Stanton on a disgusting splitter, induced a pop-out from Jazz Chisholm Jr., and punched out Trent Grisham on a high sinker to deliver the win and put the Red Sox one more victory away from advancing to the ALDS.

According to OptaSTATS, the Yankees became the first team in playoff history to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to A) not score a run and B) lose the game.

The Yankees are the first team in MLB postseason history to have the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the 9th but not score a run and lose the game.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 1, 2025

Of course, one team's failure is another team's triumph, and Chapman deserves a ton of credit for delivering in that moment with his back against the wall -- on the road against his former team with 47,000 hostile fans praying to see him fail.

While we're praising OptaSTATS, hats off as well for this nugget about resurgent hero Masataka Yoshida:

Masataka Yoshida of the @RedSox is the first player in MLB history to have a go-ahead hit with his team trailing on the first pitch he ever saw in his postseason career. pic.twitter.com/LIrzoXEKr6

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 1, 2025

All in all, it was a gusty night for the Red Sox that took all 13 players that appeared in the game to come out with the victory. From Ceddanne Rafaela's walk, to Garrett Crochet's countless big strikeouts, to Nick Sogard coming through in the clutch, there were lots of congrats to dish out.

But the Red Sox could have easily folded right before the finish line, and the fact that Chapman buckled down is a fantastic sign not only for the rest of this series, but the postseason as a whole.

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